The Nation - News from May 5, 1989

A federal judge in Madison, Wis., refused to prohibit the Lac du Flambeau band of Chippewa Indians from spearing all of its allowable fish catch on some Wisconsin lakes. An agreement to cut the fish take was reached at a meeting more than two weeks ago between Gov. Tommy G. Thompson and leaders of the six Chippewa bands. But after increasing harassment by sport fishermen who are opposed to the Indians’ off-reservation spearing, the tribal chief said that the band might begin taking 100% of the fish that biologists consider safe to take from a lake. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s congressional delegation introduced legislation that would revise the terms of Indian treaties to allow more sport fishing in the Chippewa area of the state.